Thali To Close In New Haven

Prasad Chirnomula has announced he will close Thali, his renowned New Haven Indian restaurant, on Sept. 30.

"There are so many restaurants and just not enough people," Chirnomula said in a written statement. "We had a really good run in New Haven and I am proud and honored to have worked alongside some of the very best in the industry. We will miss our loyal patrons, the staff, and our neighbors, and we are thankful to Yale and our community for all of the support over the years."

Thali opened in 2006 to raves, garnering an "Excellent" rating from the New York Times. A Courant review from November of that year described it as "miraculous, high-end dining at middle-rung prices; a phenomenal gustatory journey for anyone who even barely likes Indian food, let alone loves it."

Chirnomula's two other New Haven restaurants, the vegetarian Thali Too at 65 Broadway and the Mexican-inspired Oaxaca Kitchen on College Street, remain open. The chef-owner also operates the INDIArestaurants in New Canaan and West Hartford, both of which opened in 2016.

Chirnomula leads a walking food tour of his three New Haven restaurants on Sept. 30, starting at 5 p.m. The tour begins at Oaxaca Kitchen with small bites of Mexican cuisine, then heads to Thali Too for vegetarian fare. The night ends at Thali on Orange Street with biryani and kabobs, a farewell to the restaurant on its final night. Tickets are $40 and include food; cash bar is available. Information: eventbrite.com.